Eatery - Parker & Otis (NC)

I finally went to Parker & Otis! I kept hearing such good things about it that I had been wanting to go for a while. However, because I could either never find the time to or anyone to go with me, I never made it over. Luckily I got to snag a lunch today here, and it was fantabulous. I have always admired the way the building was structured on the outside but I was definitely not expecting the casual, country (yet chic) store interior. They had quite some interesting things ranging from cookware to wines to toiletries to kids' toys to food and so forth. I squealed with glee on the inside because I'm a sucker for these kinds of places.

The menu made it hard for me to choose anything because it all sounded great. I eventually settled down on the #20 which was a Fontina, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and spinach panini on sourdough. I also couldn't help myself and got two additional deviled eggs with my meal. It was counter service but you could sit outside and they would bring the food to you. When it came, I was quite excited about my choice of sandwich and the eggs.

The sandwich had some nice chunks of artichoke hearts. I liked it a lot though I wish the Fontina was a little heavier. The bread was perfectly toasted with crunch but some yield and fluff. The house cole-slaw was only so-so but I've never been a fan of coleslaw in the first place. I just wanted to give it a try because it came with every meal. As for the deviled eggs, muy delicioso. It was very rich and creamy with excellent texture and bits of relish inside. I gave my friend the second one only because I figured she ought to share in the wealth of the deliciousness. Otherwise, I would've eaten it up pretty quickly.

After we ate, we walked around the store for quite some time because there were so many gidgets and gadgets. I especially loved the chocolate truffle display and couldn't resist from taking some home despite their high prices (about $2.50 each). Some were quite cute, and I figured that my roommate would love them as well.

The array that I ended up buying was pretty much all the animal-like ones. I gave half to my roommate, and the other half now sit on my desk tempting me. I already ate the pig one and snapped a horrific picture of it after one bite (doesn't it look like it's screaming?). It was fantastic and not overwhelmingly sweet. I'm looking forward to the others. I wish I could swing by Parker & Otis a few more times before I leave Durham...